Anyone ever pause the video to have a good look at what the program is that scrolls on the computers screen just before it blows up?

It looks like it's written in standard BASIC and shows the input routine to flash something on the screen at the requested speed, so it might actually be the program that flashes the word WELCOME! on the screen when the computer comes on by itself.

I couldn't help but notice when Mrs. Chung touched the doorknob with the needle in it, the background music turned into the Psycho theme...you know, the world-famous screechy violin bit? It made me laugh.

For me, this episode, are a little bit naive, because many situations are not credible.How can you destroy a telephone receiver in this way, for example ?It's not believable!With technologies of the '80s was not possible control the whole house from one place, as we see in the show! However, it's a good episode!

In Pete's explanation of how he and MacGyver first met, that MacGyver saved him from quicksand in the "Wadi Nafud" desert. Interestingly there isn't a Wadi Nafud desert anywhere in the world. there is however the An-Nafud desert in Saudi Arabia and even more interestingly the Saudi refer to dry river beds as a Wadi. This is interesting because Pete talks about quicksand, which I would assume would be most likely to be found in a dried up river bed where it's most likely that underground water tables would be closest to the top layer of sand and able to turn it into quicksand.

Excellent episode. Chock full of MacGyverisms and suspense, just the sort of episode I came to pine for later in the series when it turned more towards teaching lessons and morality plays. Even the plot holes turned into clues that the woman was a mole. Great early example of Mac and Pete having perfect chemistry as partners, too. Quite possibly one of my top ten favorite episodes, if I ever get around to writing down a list.

Okay... outside the building where MacGyver flew in. Those three doofs. Standing their hands in their pockets. The words “Break up! You look like a cadet review.” popped into my head.

and well played, sir.

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I wonder if the Three Nameless Men are the forerunners of Homicide International Trust

I'm wondering the some thing, because Crain from Silent world also reported to a "board" of 3 nameless people. So it does make you wonder if its the same organization?

I thought they mentioned they were from some East Bloc intelligence service or other, but I could be wrong. It's been a while since I've seen this episode.

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Well, with Murdoc, you have to kind of expect him to be melodramatic and accept it--that's the fun of the character.

That, and frankly... some people can pull it off, some can't. I can't explain the "why" exactly. But Murdoc as an over-the-top-villain worked, Quayle, for whatever reason, didn't.

Ricardo Montalban's a good example of an actor who can pull it off effortlessly, especially when you see him in Star Trek TOS, Mission: Impossible, and The Wild Wild West, in between a bunch of other villains-of-the-week who're usually completely forgettable.

I agree with many of the previous debaters here... Quayle comes off as a rather cheesy villain. I actually find him extra amusing because of the fact that he is a total lookalike to a famous talkshow host in my country!

I think you can see their likeness from the pictures alone, but they're even more alike "in action," and I can totally see that talkshow host play that part too... it's hysterical.

Anyway... talkshow host villains aside, I still thought this was too much of a James Bond-ish episode for my taste. Way too much kissing, for one thing... and though I thought the opening gambit was neat, I still prefer the more laid back, less of a show-off Mac.

The MacGyverisms in the kitchen were cool, though. True, back in the 80's it was probably possible to create that much interference; I still remember a blender that my parents had which always messed up the TV signal.

I voted "Good" on this one, though, because of the entertainment value.

This is a great early episode! I find it very interesting, and notice many agree, that the producers latched onto the Quale villain and most likely morphed him and his organaization into Murdoc and HIT. It was chessey, but come on! Most of us where kids st the time this aired!! (Well, I was! Lol) and it was great fun! It really showcased MacGyver's ability to act under pressure and his loyalty to his friends.As we all know, the continuity from the first season really didn't carry over much into the second, but it is interesting to see how the show developed! I can only imagine how interesting and different the show would be if it aired today! The story lines would probably carry over through the whole season and the cast dynamic would be do much richer! I always wonder how MacGyver would play out in a '24' type format or even be more like NCIS...oh the possibilities....

Once again another one of my favorite episodes from season 1. A great early episode. I find it interesting, and most people agree, that Quale and his organization were inspirations for Murdoc and HIT. The opening gambit was OK but kind of cheesy, the coffin jet ski was kind of stupid, its a shame they didn't do more opening gambits. That would've been very nice. Quale is a very cheesy villain. A lot of MacGyverisms and suspense. Kind of a James Bond type episode. This episode showcases the chemistry between Pete and Mac. Probably one of my top ten favorite episodes. If I ever get around to writing such a list.

Overall Rating: 9/10

"You may not believe this, but there have been times when I've had a lot more fun in the back seat of a car." - MacGyver (Golden Triangle)

"Some may call it an obstacle course, others call it MacGyverLand." - MacGyver (The Survivors)

I agree. Enjoyed this episode myself. Felt very MacGyver early days which it obviously was.

Looking at it now, it is rather cheesy and questionable regarding the logic of those guns that never ran out of ammunition or even the scene with the armour. But being trapped inside a house with traps all around made it quite exciting.

"The bag's not for what I take, Colson - it's for what I find along the way."

Okay... outside the building where MacGyver flew in. Those three doofs. Standing their hands in their pockets. The words “Break up! You look like a cadet review.” popped into my head. What was the problem? 60 seconds earlier there were about to try something on a busy street corner but because the loud mouth blonde was there they couldn’t pull it off anymore?

There was someone working on the first season that had a habit of doing bad fill in splices. When Pete got shocked and fell out into the library, the next shot was of him on the floor with a pillow under his head. Cracked me up… oh look! How convenient he fell on a pillow.

I thought that, after Mac established that Pete was breathing (he should have checked for danger, eg from electrocution, checked for a response and opened Pete's airway first), "loud mouth blonde" (Karen) pointlessly put a pillow under Pete's head instead of something sensible. Eg checking for injuries and probably putting Pete in the recovery position (since they were going to leave him alone).

I appreciate that some of the kissing bits were for plot purposes (getting Mac away from bad guys; getting tape away from Karen). And I do appreciate that people react in all sorts of ways to stress.

But I think the writers were getting a little bit anxious about Mac. Surely he should get more kissing scenes? James Bond would have kissed more women by Episode 12! Bond would have kissed at least 20 women by now! Mac needs more manly heterosexual testosterone-fuelled masculine snogging scenes!! Let us just throw in some rather random kissing scenes with someone he doesn't know very well and isn't involved with.